Creating Style to Last
A Love Story. A Bag.
CARV feature in the n4mummy blog, September 2017
When was the last time you fell in love? For me it was a week ago when my new red bag arrived from Etsy UK seller CARV. I’m not joking; it’s the reason that, in our house, I claim a good 7/8ths of the wardrobe from my husband. I see an item, fall head over heels and sooner or later it’s made its way into my closet.
But this love story actually began earlier this summer when I was invited by Etsy UK to work with a seller to create my ideal bag. I chose CARV, founded by Becky Cocker, for their minimalist aesthetic, hand craftsmanship and commitment to a small carbon footprint. All materials are sourced locally and each bag is made just round the corner in East London.
I love a neat cross body bag, and I particularly loved the asymmetric flap. I did consider asking Becky to change the size of the bag. But after I’d measured it, I realised I could fit into it all my necessities including a favourite book. Yet I did amend the colour to this wonderful cherry red, which truly is the colour of the season. But let’s be honest, regardless of trend, every girl needs a red bag.
It really was a labour of love. Every detail was thought through, down to the colour of the lining and stitching. I confess, I’ve never agonised so much over ‘dyed to match’ stitching vs. beige! And Becky even enquired to my height so she could make sure the strap was the perfect length. It was a delight to be so involved in the process; I feel like I’ve invested part of myself in this bag. In fact, if you look closely, you’ll see I’ve chosen to have my initials embossed on the back.
Becky chooses to make a limited number of bags per year, to ensure great attention to detail and exceptional quality. This isn’t a bag for a season; it’s a bag to last a lifetime. And that’s the beauty of Etsy UK: they showcase a whole host of individual makers who are designing items to love and keep and allowing us to be part of that process. Inevitably it costs more for good design that’s handmade, but you’re creating style, style to last.
